Controlling Technological Chaos

Home Automation Integrator In Alpharetta Adds A New Twist

Atlanta has one of the hottest housing markets in the country. For the last few years there has been a substantial increase in the number of high end homes built in various parts of the city. The areas of Buckhead, Roswell, and Alpharetta have seen some of the most significant growth. One integrator has come up with clever ways of keeping up with this rapid increase in the number of houses being built.

Multi Unit Housing

While many custom integrators focus on higher end systems for single homes, there is a large market in MDU or multi-dwelling units such as condo’s, high rises, and apartment complexes. This is where Acoustic Innovations of Alpharetta, GA has focused their efforts in the last few years.

While the systems don’t tend to be as large on an individual unit basis, once the owners move in and decide what technology they want to include it can quickly add up.

These systems will often include automation, whole house audio, media rooms, and even security systems. A complete system can run upwards of $10k. Multiply this across a few units and you’re looking at a substantial amount of revenue. But the real beauty is in the simplicity of the systems.

Control4 for Simple Home Automation

The home automation system of choice for Acoustic Innovations in Control4 (http://www.control4.com). These systems are simple to design, quick to install, and homeowners love them. Even a more complicated system can be installed and programmed in less than a day. The equipment is typically located in a central location that is predetermined during the construction phase of the project.

On top of that, there is very little in the way of ongoing service and maintenance. Once the system is installed, the work is essentially done. Since the systems are so easy the homeowners love them.

Sonos for Multi Room Audio

Since coming on the home audio scene, Sonos has made a huge impact. They whole house audio systems are simple to use and require very little time to set up. Just like Control4 they also require very little in the way of maintenance. You essentially get the homeowner setup with their favorite music sources and they’re set.

Even adding additional rooms later is simple. They’re home theater package allows for a room with no wiring to be turned into a 5.1 surround system in just a couple of hours. This involves using their soundbar, subwoofer, and two small satellite speakers. Gone are the days of having to pre-wire a home for surround sound.

Equipment Racks for Larger Installations

In many of the larger MDU projects there is a common area for entertainment purposes. Here you’ll usually find a high performance theater system. Rather than storing all of this equipment in a closet somewhere, many complexes opt for a custom equipment rack. These are machined from aluminum and are custom cut for each specific piece of equipment. They help to mitigate issues with heat and airflow.

The panels are laser cut in a way that even the best plasma cutter cannot achieve. This creates a chimney effect driving all of the hot air out the top of the rack and extending the life of the equipment. Fans can also be incorporated for racks with especially hot equipment.

While these types of projects typically require longer planning and a different sales approach, they can be particularly profitable when executed properly.